


Wonderwall

by unexpectedbeautifulfanfic



Series: Are You Happy Now? [3]
Category: Hanson (Band), Michelle Branch (Musician)
Genre: Angst, Consensual Underage Sex, F/M, Love, Music, Romance, Young Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-16
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2021-03-02 07:42:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23967814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unexpectedbeautifulfanfic/pseuds/unexpectedbeautifulfanfic
Summary: “What is a “wonderwall”, anyway?”
Relationships: Michelle Branch/Taylor Hanson
Series: Are You Happy Now? [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/879411
Kudos: 1





	Wonderwall

**Author's Note:**

> For my friend Natali ;)  
> Takes place in the "Are You Happy Now: Part 1" universe.  
> Enjoy and comments are love.

Michelle and Taylor lie naked in the bed in her apartment after just making love. They’d spent the day surfing, and both had the beginnings of a sunburn, but neither cared because they were riding the high off endorphins that accompanied such physical activity.

It had been a lovely, sunny California day, with a slight breeze and perfect for surfing.

When you’re young, you live in the moment. You enjoy it selfishly without shame. You don’t think about the past or the future.

Taylor turned and changed the dial on the radio, settling on a station playing “Wonderwall” by Oasis. He started singing along under his breath, putting his arm around Michelle and lighting a cigarette. 

His voice was soft, but clear. Even when he wasn’t trying, he was a good singer. 

The song ended after a while and another song started.

“What is a “wonderwall”, anyway?” Taylor asked Michelle conversationally, taking a drag of his cigarette.

Michelle, head on his chest, thought for a bit before answering. She lazily ran her hand through Taylor’s long blonde hair. 

“I think...it’s a person who truly loves and sees you. Someone who will catch you when you fall. Who...you admire and keeps you grounded. But I think maybe there’s an element of fear that you may someday you lose that person....and that makes them more precious to you. Because they’re...so wonderful they’re almost not real. Does that make sense? But that just makes you hold on to them tighter. And appreciate them more.” 

Taylor was in awe. It didn’t occur to him that Michelle may be referring to him. Because that’s how he saw her. He couldn’t believe she wanted to be with him. He thought he was out of her league. And he knew that it was always the boy who lost the girl, never the other way around.

“Wow, 'Chelle, that’s such a good...deep interpretation. I was just gonna say that it may be a, what’s that word...a ”metaphor” for God? You know, because of the line about “saving you.” 

Michelle shook her head.

“No. To me, a “wonderwall” is an actual person to someone. You can ask them when you meet them.”

“Meet who?” Taylor asked.

Michelle shrugged casually. “Oasis.”

Taylor’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Meet them? What makes you think I’m going to meet Oasis?”

“Aren’t they coming to the Teen Choice Awards?” Michelle stole Taylor’s cigarette and took a quick drag. 

Taylor raised his eyebrows but didn’t comment.

Instead, he shrugged, “No idea. Maybe.”

Michelle thought it was really sweet how humble Taylor still was. He was so famous. His face was plastered all over the teen magazines. But he still saw himself as a regular teenager from Oklahoma, trying to make it big in the music business. 

“The part of “saving me” makes me think the song is about God.” Taylor continued. Clearly his mind was still on the meaning of the song. Michelle wasn’t surprised. Taylor was so analytical. He always wanted to know the “meaning” of songs. But Michelle knew sometimes there wasn’t one. Sometimes a song was just a song. It was meant to invoke a feeling, but didn’t necessarily need to make “sense.”

“That metaphor is common in pop music,” Michelle replied casually. ‘saving someone’ that is.”

Taylor nodded in agreement. “In our music it is for sure.” 

“Save me, 'cause saving is all I need?” Michelle asked.

“If you want to, I could save you?” Taylor replied.

They looked at each other and smiled. They knew each other’s music like the back of their hands. They were each other’s biggest fans.

They lay there, soaking in the last of the sun through Michelle’s bedroom window. The window was open. They listened to the soft, familiar sounds of cars passing. A song played quietly on the radio. They were entangled with each other.

Taylor traced his finger on a tan line on Michelle’s hip.

“You’re gonna have a nasty burn tomorrow,” he said matter of fact, sucking air in through his lips and shaking his head.

“It’ll be worth it,” Michelle replied without hesitation. “Seeing you surf for the first time was everything.”

Taylor laughed. “Well, it helped to have such a good teacher.”

Michelle nodded and lazily traced her finger across his chest. Michelle bit her lip, and Taylor knew she had something on her mind.

“What’s wrong babe?” he asked.

“Taylor...are you worried about tour this year?”

“What do you mean? I’m stoked.”

“I mean about not seeing each other for so long?”

“Well have breaks. “ he replied.

“I know but it won’t be like it is now,” Michelle pointed out.

She kissed him and caught a whiff of both tobacco and ocean water and she smiled to herself. 

She loved him so much, at times it felt overwhelming, like it may swallow her.

“No it won’t,” Taylor said simply. He played with her hair that fell softly on his chest. “But that’s okay. This is what we want. To play our music, remember? We’ll be so busy and having such a blast it will go by quick.”

Michelle didn’t respond. She wasn’t so sure of that. When she was not with him, she missed him so much.

“Other guys in bands can have girlfriends. Why can’t I?” Taylor remarked.

Michelle wasn’t convinced, based on the experience she had with guys in other bands, but she nodded anyway. 

“Hey,” he said, “Look at me.” 

She did.

Taylor could see the worry in her eyes and wanted to be encouraging.

“Look. There is talk about us going on tour again together. The fans loved you on the last tour.”

Michelle nodded. “That would be awesome.”

“After tour we can be together all the time again.” 

“With me in LA and you in Tulsa? How?”

“I don’t know how it’s gonna go,” Taylor admitted honestly. “We’ll make it work. I promise.”

Michelle believed Taylor, but couldn’t help but feel a little bit of doubt creeping in. The life of a musician was uncertain. This was what both of them had always wanted. She was happiest playing music. It was her passion. There was no doubt. But she wanted Taylor too. And she was determined to make it work. 

“How can you be sure it will?”

Taylor leaned in and gave her what she believed was the sweetest kiss she’d ever received.

“Because you’re my dream girl. It will always be that way. I want it all. A career in music and you. And I always get what I want.”

Michelle smiled, the taste of his lips lingering on hers. He had quoted another one of their songs.

“I know Zac wrote that, Tay.”

Taylor laughed a hearty laugh, his head back, Golden blond hair shining in the sunlight through the window.

“Fine. You got me. Yeah, he did. For Cindy Crawford,” Taylor laughed. “A woman he will never have.”

Michelle snorted. “I don’t know,” she replied coyly. “Maybe he’ll become a famous rock star and she’ll marry him. Maybe she likes younger guys. Zac is pretty cute...”

Taylor’s eyes widened.

“Did you just say my brother is cute?!”

“She’s a supermodel. He’s a drummer.” Michelle shrugged. “Tommy Lee was married to Pamela Anderson. A lot of hot famous women like drummers.”

“And we’re not already rock stars?” Taylor asked.

“You’re pop stars, Tay. There’s a difference.”

Taylor feigned hurt. 

“Touché.” 

"Sorry, did I hurt your feelings," Michelle teased. 

"No," Taylor replied smiling. "You're just keeping me on the ground, which is what I need."

"Besides," Taylor continued, "Zac will probobly end up marrying some fan. Or a girl from back home. He's not the type to like famous, glamorous girls."

They continued to lay there, lost on their own thoughts.

Michelle still felt uneasy. There was always a lingering doubt she had about Taylor. Not that he loved her. She knew it he did. But if that love was enough to make it work.

“All the best, most powerful songs are breakup songs. What if you can’t be a...good musician if you’ve never been through it?” she asked.

“Well, you’ll just have to work a little harder than other people to write good songs then,” Taylor replied.

“Why?” 

“Because I’m never going to break up with you.” Taylor said seriously.

A smile spread on Michelle’s face. “So I’m stuck with you?” she said hopefully.

“Yup,” Taylor replied. Then added, “You’re my wonderwall.”

Michelle smiled to herself. She was sure there were a thousand love songs in her just waiting to be written about him. 

And she was ready to write them.


End file.
